MODEL 05103
WIND MONITOR
WIND SPEED SPECIFICATION SUMMARY
Range 0 to 100 m/s (224 mph)
Sensor 18 cm diameter 4-blade helicoid
propeller molded of polypropylene
Pitch 29.4 cm air passage per revolution
Distance Constant 2.7 m (8.9 ft.) for 63% recovery
Threshold Sensitivity 1.0 m/s (2.2 mph)
Transducer Centrally mounted stationary coil, 2K Ohm
nominal DC resistance
Transducer Output AC sine wave signal induced by rotating
magnet on propeller shaft. 80 mV p-p at
100 rpm. 8.0 V p-p at 10,000 rpm.
Output Frequency 3 cycles per propeller revolution
(0.098 m/s per Hz)
WIND DIRECTION (AZIMUTH) SPECIFICATION SUMMARY
Range 360° mechanical, 355° electrical (5° open)
Sensor Balanced vane, 38 cm (15 in) turning radius.
Damping Ratio 0.3
Delay Distance 1.3 m (4.3 ft) for 50% recovery
Threshold Sensitivity 1.1 m/s (2.5 mph) at 10° displacement
Damped Natural
Wavelength 7.4 m (24.3 ft)
Undamped Natural
Wavelength 7.2 m (23.6 ft)
Transducer Precision conductive plastic potentiometer,
10K ohm resistance (±20%), 0.25%
linearity, life expectancy 50 million
revolutions, rated 1 watt at 40° C, 0 watts
at 125° C
Transducer Excitation
Requirement Regulated DC voltage, 15 VDC max
Transducer Output Analog DC voltage proportional to azimuth
angle with regulated excitation voltage
applied across potentiometer.
GENERAL
INTRODUCTION
The Wind Monitor measures horizontal wind speed and direction.
Originally developed for ocean data buoy use, it is rugged and
corrosion resistant yet accurate and light weight. The main housing,
nose cone, propeller, and other internal parts are injection molded
U.V. stabilized plastic. Both the propeller and vertical shafts use
stainless steel precision grade ball bearings. Bearings have light
contacting teflon seals and are filled with a wide temperature range
grease to help exclude contamination and moisture.
Propeller rotation produces an AC sine wave signal with frequency
proportional to wind speed. This AC signal is induced in a
stationary coil by a six pole magnet mounted on the propeller
shaft. Three complete sine wave cycles are produced for each
propeller revolution.
Vane position is transmitted by a 10K ohm precision conductive
plastic potentiometer which requires a regulated excitation
voltage. With a constant voltage applied to the potentiometer,
the output signal is an analog voltage directly proportional to
wind direction angle.
The instrument mounts on standard one inch pipe, outside diameter
34 mm (1.34"). An orientation ring is provided so the instrument
can be removed for maintenance and reinstalled without loss of
wind direction reference. Both the mounting post assembly and
the orientation ring are secured to the mounting pipe by stainless
steel band clamps. Electrical connections are made in a junction
box at the base. A variety of devices are available for signal
conditioning, display, and recording of wind speed and direction.
INITIAL CHECKOUT
When the Wind Monitor is unpacked it should be checked carefully
for any signs of shipping damage.
Remove the plastic nut on the propeller shaft. Install the propeller
on the shaft so the serial number on the propeller faces forward
(into the wind). Engage the propeller into the molded ribs on the
propeller shaft hub. The instrument is aligned, balanced and fully
calibrated before shipment, however, it should be checked both
mechanically and electrically before installation. The vane and
propeller should easily rotate 360° without friction. Check vane
balance by holding the instrument base so the vane surface is
horizontal. It should have near neutral torque without any particular
tendency to rotate. A slight imbalance will not degrade performance.
The potentiometer requires a stable DC excitation voltage. Do
not exceed 15 volts. When the potentiometer wiper is in the 5°
deadband region, the output signal is "floating" and may show
varying or unpredictable values. To prevent false readings, signal
conditioning electronics should clamp the signal to excitation
or reference level when this occurs. NOTE: Young signal
conditioning devices clamp the signal to excitation level. Avoid
a short circuit between the wind direction signal line and either the
excitation or reference lines. Although there is a 1K ohm current
limiting resistor in series with the wiper for protection, damage
to the potentiometer may occur if a short circuit condition exists.
Before installation, connect the instrument to an indicator as shown
in the wiring diagram and check for proper wind speed and wind
direction values. To check wind speed, temporarily remove the
propeller and connect the shaft to an Anemometer Drive. Details
appear in the CALIBRATION section of this manual.
Operating Temperature: -50 to 50°C (-58 to 122°F)
05103-90(K)
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INSTALLATION
CALIBRATION
Proper placement of the instrument is very important. Eddies from
trees, buildings, or other structures can greatly influence wind
speed and wind direction observations. To get meaningful data
for most applications locate the instrument well above or upwind
from obstructions. As a general rule, the air flow around a structure
is disturbed to twice the height of the structure upwind, six times
the height downwind, and up to twice the height of the structure
above ground. For some applications it may not be practical or
necessary to meet these requirements.
FAILURE TO PROPERLY GROUND THE WIND MONITOR
MAY RESULT IN ERRONEOUS SIGNALS
OR TRANSDUCER DAMAGE.
Grounding the Wind Monitor is vitally important. Without proper
grounding, static electrical charge can build up during certain
atmospheric conditions and discharge through the transducers.
This discharge can cause erroneous signals or transducer failure.
To direct the discharge away from the transducers, the mounting
post assembly is made with a special antistatic plastic. It is very
important that the mounting post be connected to a good earth
ground. There are two ways this may be accomplished. First,
the Wind Monitor may be mounted on a metal pipe which is
connected to earth ground. The mounting pipe should not be
painted where the Wind Monitor is mounted. Towers or masts
set in concrete should be connected to one or more grounding
rods. If it is difficult to ground the mounting post in this manner,
the following method should be used. Inside the junction box
the terminal labeled EARTH GND is internally connected to the
antistatic mounting post. This terminal should be connected to
an earth ground (Refer to wiring diagram).
Initial installation is most easily done with two people; one to adjust
the instrument position and the other to observe the indicating
device. After initial installation, the instrument can be removed
and returned to its mounting without realigning the vane since
the orientation ring preserves the wind direction reference. Install
the Wind Monitor following these steps:
1. MOUNT WIND MONITOR
a) Place orientation ring on mounting post. Do Not tighten
band clamp yet.
b) Place Wind Monitor on mounting post. Do Not tighten
band clamp yet.
2. CONNECT SENSOR CABLE
a) Refer to wiring diagram located at back of manual.
3. ALIGN VANE
a) Connect instrument to an indicator.
b) Choose a known wind direction reference point on the
horizon.
c) Sighting down instrument centerline, point nose cone at
reference point on horizon.
d) While holding vane in position, slowly turn base until
indicator shows proper value.
e) Tighten mounting post band clamp.
f) Engage orientation ring indexing pin in notch at
instrument base.
g) Tighten orientation ring band clamp.
The Wind Monitor is fully calibrated before shipment and should
require no adjustments. Recalibration may be necessary after
some maintenance operations. Periodic calibration checks are
desirable and may be necessary where the instrument is used in
programs which require auditing of sensor performance.
Accurate wind direction calibration requires a Model 18112 Vane
Angle Bench Stand. Begin by connecting the instrument to a
signal conditioning circuit which has some method of indicating
wind direction value. This may be a display which shows wind
direction val ues in a ngular d egrees o r simply a voltmet er
monitoring the output. Orient the base so the junction box faces
due south. Visually align the vane with the crossmarkings and
observe the indicator output. If the vane position and indicator
do not agree within 5°, adjust the potentiometer coupling inside
the main housing. Details for making this adjustment appear
in the MAINTENANCE, POTENTIOMETER REPLACEMENT,
outline, step 7.
It is important to note that, while the sensor mechanically rotates
through 360°, the full scale wind direction signal from the signal
conditioning occurs at 355°. The signal conditioning electronics
must be adjusted accordingly. For example, in a circuit where 0
to 1.000 VDC represents 0° to 360°, the output must be adjusted
for 0.986 VDC when the instrument is at 355°. (355°/360° X 1.000
volts = 0.986 volts)
Wind speed calibration is determined by propeller pitch and the
output characteristics of the transducer. Calibration formulas
showing wind speed vs. propeller rpm and output frequency are
included below. Standard accuracy is ± 0.3 m/s (0.6mph). For
greater accuracy, the sensor must be individually calibrated in
comparison with a wind speed standard. Contact the factory or
your supplier to schedule a NIST (National Institute of Standards
& Technology) traceable wind tunnel calibration in our facility.
To calibrate wind system electronics using a signal from the
instrument, temporarily remove the propeller and connect an
Anemometer Drive (18802 or equivalent) to the propeller shaft.
Apply the appropriate calibration formula to the calibrating motor
rpm and adjust the electronics for the proper value. For example,
with the propeller shaft turning at 3600 rpm, adjust an indicator to
display 17.6 meters per second [3600 rpm X 0.00490 (m/s)/rpm
=17.6 m/s]
Details on checking bearing torque, which affects wind speed and
direction threshold, appear in the following section.
CALIBRATION FORMULAS
Model 05103 Wind Monitor w / 08234 Propeller
WIND SPEED vs PROPELLER RPM
m/s = 0.00490 x rpm
knots = 0.00952 x rpm
mph = 0.01096 x rpm
km/h = 0.01764 x rpm
WIND SPEED vs OUTPUT FREQUENCY
m/s = 0.0980 x Hz
knots = 0.1904 x Hz
mph = 0.2192 x Hz
km/h = 0.3528 x Hz
05103-90(K)
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MAINTENANCE
Given proper care, the Wind Monitor should provide years of
service. The only components likely to need replacement due to
normal wear are the precision ball bearings and the wind direction
potentiometer. Only a qualified instrument technician should
perform the replacement. If service facilities are not available,
return the instrument to the company. Refer to the drawings to
become familiar with part names and locations. The asterisk *
which appears in the following outlines is a reminder that maximum
torque on all set screws is 80 oz-in.
POTENTIOMETER REPLACEMENT
The potentiometer has a life expectancy of fifty million revolutions.
As it becomes worn, the element may begin to produce noisy
signals or become nonlinear. When signal noise or non-linearity
becomes unacceptable, replace the potentiometer. Refer to
exploded view drawing and proceed as follows:
1. REMOVE MAIN HOUSING
a) Unscrew nose cone from main housing. Set o-ring aside
for later use.
b) Gently push main housing latch.
c) While pushing latch, lift main housing up and remove it
from vertical shaft bearing rotor.
2. UNSOLDER TRANSDUCER WIRE
a) Remove junction box cover, exposing circuit board.
b) Remove screws holding circuit board.
c) Unsolder three potentiometer wires (white, green, black),
two wind speed coil wires (red, black) and earth ground
wire (red) from board.
3. REMOVE POTENTIOMETER
a) Loosen set screw on potentiometer coupling and remove
it from potentiometer adjust thumbwheel.
b) Loosen set screw on potentiometer adjust thumbwheel
and remove it from potentiometer shaft.
c) Loosen two set screws at base of transducer assembly
and remove assembly from vertical shaft.
d) Unscrew potentiometer housing from potentiometer
mounting & coil assembly.
e) Push potentiometer out of potentiometer mounting & coil
assembly by applying firm but gentle pressure on
potentiometer shaft. Make sure that the shaft o-ring
comes out with the potentiometer. If not, then gently
push it out from the top of the coil assembly.
4. INSTALL NEW POTENTIOMETER
a) Push new potentiometer into potentiometer mounting &
coil assembly making sure o-ring is on shaft.
b) Feed potentiometer and coil wires through hole in bottom
of potentiometer housing.
c) Screw potentiometer housing onto potentiometer
mounting & coil assembly.
d) Gently pull transducer wires through bottom of
potentiometer housing to take up any slack. Apply a
small amount of silicone sealant around hole.
e) Install transducer assembly on vertical shaft allowing
0.5 mm (0.020") clearance from vertical bearing.
Tighten set screws* at bottom of transducer assembly.
f) Place potentiometer adjust thumbwheel on potentiometer
shaft and tighten set screw*.
g) Place potentiometer coupling on potentiometer
adjust thumbwheel. Do Not tighten set screw yet.
5. RECONNECT TRANSDUCER WIRES
a) Using needle-nose pliers or a paper clip bent to form a
small hook, gently pull transducer wires through hole in
junction box.
b) Solder wires to circuit board according to wiring diagram.
Observe color code.
c) Secure circuit board in junction box using two screws
removed in step 2b. Do not overtighten.
6. REPLACE MAIN HOUSING
a) Place main housing over vertical shaft bearing rotor. Be
careful to align indexing key and channel in these two
assemblies.
b) Place main housing over vertical shaft bearing rotor until
potentiometer coupling is near top of main housing.
c) Turn potentiometer adjust thumbwheel until
potentiometer coupling is oriented to engage ridge in top
of main housing. Set screw on potentiometer coupling
should be facing the front opening.
d) With potentiometer coupling properly oriented, continue
pushing main housing onto vertical shaft bearing rotor
until main housing latch locks into position with a “click”.
7. ALIGN VANE
a) Connect excitation voltage and signal conditioning
electronics to terminal strip according to wiring diagram.
b) With mounting post held in position so junction box
is facing due south, orient vane to a known angular
reference. Details appear in CALIBRATION section.
c) Reach in through front of main housing and turn
potentiometer adjust thumbwheel until signal conditioning
system indicates proper value.
d) Tighten set screw* on potentiometer coupling.
8. REPLACE NOSE CONE
a) Screw nose cone into main housing until o-ring seal is
seated. Be certain threads are properly engaged to avoid
cross-threading.
FLANGE BEARING REPLACEMENT
If anemometer bearings become noisy or wind speed threshold
incre ases ab ove an ac cepta ble level, beari ngs may need
replacement. Check anemometer bearing condition using a Model
18310 Propeller Torque Disc. If needed, bearings are replaced
as follows.
1. REMOVE OLD BEARINGS
a) Unscrew nose cone. Set o-ring aside for later use.
b) Loosen set screw on magnet shaft collar and remove
magnet.
c) Slide propeller shaft out of nose cone assembly.
d) Remove front bearing cap which covers front bearing.
e) Remove both front and rear bearings from nose cone
assembly. Insert edge of a pocket knife under bearing
flange and lift it out.
2. INSTALL NEW BEARINGS
a) Insert new front and rear bearings into nose cone.
b) Replace front bearing cap.
c) Carefully slide propeller shaft thru bearings.
d) Place magnet on propeller shaft allowing 0.5 mm
(0.020") clearance from rear bearing.
e) Tighten set screw* on magnet shaft collar.
f) Screw nose cone into main housing until o-ring seal
is seated. Be certain threads are properly engaged to
avoid cross-threading.
*Max set screw torque 80 oz-in
05103-90(K)
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